John Textor, Botafogo’s Director, Counters Eagle’s Director: ‘Misleading Statements made with Malicious Intent to Damage my Reputation’

John Textor fought back against the accusations from Eagle Football Holdings’ independent director, Christopher Mallon, blaming him for financial issues and attempting to remove him from the SAF, Botafogo’s control. The American entrepreneur responded in a letter dated August 9, as reported by ‘O Globo’. Textor assures that Mallon’s document, sent to the club, ‘was clearly crafted to include sensationalist claims, in a letter to Botafogo’s social club, known to be a large and non-confidential body, with the intention that such claims would be publicly repeated to harm my reputation, weaken my public image, and undermine the significant public support for me and SAF Botafogo among the social club members and fans.’ Additionally, SAF Botafogo’s shareholder downplays Mallon’s power at Eagle. ‘The exercise of the independent director’s rights does not impair my ongoing right and authority to legally represent Eagle Bidco, as director of Eagle Bidco and CEO of Eagle Football Group. Nowhere in the Supplementary Agreement is it written that I no longer have the power to enter into legally binding contracts on behalf of Eagle Bidco,’ Textor stated. ‘Eagle Bidco began operating as a company controlled by creditors, where you are under extreme pressure to make decisions based solely on the creditors’ directions,’ wrote Textor, criticizing Mallon.